Gladstone munitions factory blast 'disaster waiting to happen'

Industrial Court Magistrate Michael Ardlie today imposed penalty on the company, Quin Investments, and its owner Nikolai Kuzub, fining them each $95,000 for breaching workplace safety breaches.

"I can only say that the operation of the factory was a disaster waiting to happen," he said.

Industrial Magistrate Ardlie said there was little or no evidence of safety management at the factory, near Gladstone in the state's Mid North, which killed Damian Harris, Matt Keeley and Darren Millington, and injured Cameron Edson and Damian John.

"The records of maintenance work that were kept on timesheets or in diaries were few and far between and were totally inadequate," he said.

The five workers were creating a pre-mix for cartridge explosives in a ribbon blending machine on the day of the explosion.

During the trial, prosecutors alleged a displaced shaft in the ribbon blender, or mixer, had created friction, triggering a chemical reaction inside the second-hand piece of machinery, causing the blast.

Industrial Magistrate Ardlie said there was "little to persuade me that anything but the maximum fine should be imposed upon such recalcitrant defendants", but reduced the maximum $100,000 fine because the defendants had agreed to pay compensation and had provided investigation resources.

He split the maximum compensation of $40,000 between 17 family members of the three victims - a total of about $2350 each.

He said expressions of remorse provided by the defendants at their last court appearance, in July, was "too little too late".

Outside court today, Damien Harris's father, Gary, said he felt the penalty was fair.

"The magistate has done all he could, hopefuly it will be a deterrent for it happening anywhere else."

"We didn't want the comapny to get off scot free - obviously that hasn't happened.

"What's money compared to lives... I guess we are walking away knowing what happened and that's something has been done about it."

He said he felt the penalty for industrial deaths should be greater.

"When there's three lives at stake, I think... maybe industrial manslaughter should be brought in."